LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Wednesday

Aug 26, 2009 at 12:01 AM

"Report: Public health plan would boost competition. Studies show that one or two private companies may dominate in a state, keeping costs high" by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, The Associated Press. This article did not give the answer to the problem which has been stated by several Republicans, i.e., eliminate the state boundaries. This would spur competition among the insurance companies without a government takeover. Front-page journalism has become front-page opinion favoring the Democrats. — Bill Hartley, Medford

"Report: Public health plan would boost competition. Studies show that one or two private companies may dominate in a state, keeping costs high" by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, The Associated Press. This article did not give the answer to the problem which has been stated by several Republicans, i.e., eliminate the state boundaries. This would spur competition among the insurance companies without a government takeover. Front-page journalism has become front-page opinion favoring the Democrats. — Bill Hartley, Medford

What more do we need to know about the quality of the "public option" health-care plan our representatives have planned for us than the fact they voted to exclude themselves from it? Start your investigation and judgment of their "public option" health care plan from that point! — Dale Herrmann, Eagle Point

On the health-care debate from a primary care physician for 40-plus years: Health care is a right, not a privilege.

The public option works for 80 million including Congress, public servants, military and Medicare recipients "¦ and for all other developed countries on the planet.

Citizens from other developed countries would not willingly give up their health coverage.

The free-market system does not work for health care. Wall Street demands a profit, and this can be obtained only by denying benefits or reducing coverage for those at risk. That is not acceptable.

Most would prefer a Medicare system between us and our physician as opposed to a highly-paid CEO protecting his profits!

We are being subjected to a massive campaign of misinformation funded by insurance and pharmaceutical industries (currently spending $1.4 million daily lobbying Congress) as they desperately try to protect profits and defeat the public option. They do not want competition or a civil discussion. They offer no alternative.

Support a public option like our Congress, civil servants, Medicare and military have. Costs can be controlled with prevention, evidence-based medicine and the appropriate use of technology. — Hayden A. Glatte Jr., M.D., Medford

Passing through Medford, my son, Ben, and I stopped at Bear Creek skate park. Taking his first runs through the park on his BMX bike, the skateboarders harassed Ben, telling him "no bikes allowed!" Soon, one young(ish) man unleashed an f-word-laden tirade threatening Ben, "If you take one more run, it will be the last one you'll ever take."

We weren't there to make a federal case of the "no bikes" rule. Just passing through. In the end, because we abhor perpetrating violence and/or being victims of it, we retreated. I told the skaters we meant no harm, and wished them well. They replied, "Go to Talent. They don't care if you ride bikes there!" We took that advice and shook the dust of Medford from our feet as we left.

This represented to me a microcosm of the dark hearts that make war in the world. Discrimination, a sense of entitlement, and greed promote turf wars that escalate to violence.

In fact, Talent and Ashland have figured out a way for skaters and bikers to co-exist in the same skate park. Medford should take a lesson from them and teach their young men to play nice and share. — Kim Quon, Lake Elsinore, Calif.

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